I doubt many whales would be willing to burn their steem even if they had a ton to spend. The price movement won't matter to them if they control majority of the steems.
Early adopters are going to always benefit the most. So many examples of pennies on the dollar coins turned into double, triple, and even quadruple numbers. Steem is no different. Steem is unique because it can not be compared to POS or POW. Steem definitely has potential to rise, it is just seeing if people accept it for what it is and invest in it.
Totally agree with the delegating part. The steem will be used to better the platform. This is a positive if whales can spread the SP rather than hoard it. Thanks.